Battle Cry
by Welcome to the New
Summary: Life is about to get very dangerous for us all. Secrets that were kept hidden for too long are about to be unraveled. The world is changing all around us, and we aren't ready for it. All we can do now is stand together. Sequel to Disaster.
1. Prologue

**Prologue  
**

Panic.

It's the first thing you feel when things start to go wrong. The first thing that comes to mind when life takes a turn for the worse. It overwhelms you until there's nothing left but fear and confusion. It's the one word in the dictionary I hate.

Why am I explaining this?

Lately things have gotten... interesting in SHIELD.

Ever since the incident in London, Fury moved me to Washington D.C. to live next to Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America. I knew part of his reason behind this was due to living in a safer environment. But it seemed there was more to it than that.

I haven't seen or heard from anyone other than Steve and Natasha in weeks. It's starting to unnerve me. I can't help but think something bad is about to happen. Especially since I haven't paid the Grid a visit since the attack in Greenwich.

The strangest part of it is spending more time with Natasha. I know she's my biological mother and all, but we've never been very close ever since Beck and I discovered the truth.

I really hope this move doesn't take a turn for the worse. Something tells me that this is only the beginning.

. . .

"We tend to take a lot for granted. I for one am thankful I grew up without all this tech." Steve's voice rang in my ears as I helped him sort out the files Fury had given him.

So far I've been stuck in this office for the last four hours. Apparently Steve was having trouble figuring out how to access SHIELD's files, and lucky me got assigned to help him out. And by helping him out I mean teaching him everything I'd learned.

"Without technology the Grid wouldn't exist," I reminded him after pulling out the last of the files.

It was a wonder he got anything done around here. The only reason he was here in the first place was to get prepped for the next mission. But the files Fury had sent him were through a PDA. Fury had sent the same files to me only a couple of hours ago, but I haven't had the chance to look at them yet.

"True, but you would've never gotten stuck there," he pointed out.

That was enough of a comment to make me pause in my work. Steve always had a good point to everything he said. Truth be told he was right.

I couldn't imagine what my life would be like had I not gotten stuck on the Grid. Things would have likely taken a different turn for me. It was partially thanks to the Grid that I discovered the truth behind my birth parents.

And it was through the Grid I had made good friends that I cared enough about to give my life for. I would die for them if it ever came to that.

"So how do you think your life would've turned out had you not crashed that plane?" My question must have hit a nerve.

For a moment Steve was at a loss for words. His mouth was actually hanging open before he closed it and shook his head.

I've read the files on what had happened to him. It was never an easy life, much like everyone else I knew. Both of his parents had passed away before he was twenty. The army had refused him so many times due to health problems.

Then finally he was given a chance to prove himself. He was given the Super Solider serum. Since then his life had changed dramatically.

"Honestly, I never really gave that much thought," he admitted in a guilty tone. "I've never really had the chance to think about it."

I noticed for the first time that he was actually rushing himself. And that his cheeks were a bright red.

By the time he left the room I couldn't hold back my laughter. Steve was just too much of a gentlemen to admit that he was embarrassed. He only made things worse by shuffling out of the room as quickly as he could.

"What did you say this time?" I hadn't even noticed Natasha slipping in once I caught my breath.

"Oh just the usual," I replied after cleaning up the space Steve had messed up. Papers were scattered along the desk along with a few folders he'd misplaced.

I think I'm starting to get more like Tron every day. And I'm not sure if that should scare me or impress me. He has always been a neat freak, and still is. After living with the guy for a few cycles his need to keep things clean starts to rub on you.

"So what sort of office work does Fury want me doing this time?" I muttered under my breath.

Lately it seemed that was all I've been doing. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad my life isn't in constant danger right now. But I love being on the field. Right now things are pretty boring spending all my time in the HQ.

"He wants you on a mission," she explained. "You ready for a debriefing?"

I raised an eyebrow before finishing my clean up. This should be interesting. The last mission I had been on was an actual one, where I had to follow Tony around for a few days. Apparently someone known as the Mandarin had threatened him along with everyone he knew.

To me that mission had ended in failure. Sure Tony may have been able to stop the Mandarin. But it was during that mission I somehow ended up with the Tesseract energy stuck in my body.

There was still so much I needed to learn about it. Like how it happened in the first place. And why it wasn't slowly killing me like it should. On several occasions it had actually saved me. Bruce was always the one who ran checkups now that we knew about it. He said that it wasn't a threat at the moment. But only time would tell how long that would last.

"So you and birdie have anything planned for tonight?" I couldn't resist asking the question.

Natasha kept on a straight face, though I could see her falter a little at the mention of Clint. With Natasha and Clint being my birth parents it made things awkward between us. But I'd gotten used to it over time.

"He's out on a solo mission," she replied as if the subject wasn't a bother.

To that I rolled my eyes as we headed for the elevator. I was fully aware that the two were avoiding each other for reasons unknown to everyone. Something had happened between them, and I was determined to find out what that something was.

It didn't take long for the glass elevator to reach it's destination. Fury's office was on the top floor, right next to Alexander Pierce.

I didn't know the head of SHIELD very well, but from what I've gathered, Pierce and Fury were good friends. Together they had found SHIELD and made the agency what it was today.

But every time I saw Pierce I always got a bad vibe from him. The way he smiled and the way he just shook hands creeped me out for some reason. I've already talked to Beck about it, but we both decided that it was just paranoia getting the best of me.

At least I'm hoping that's the case.

"Agent Romanoff, Agent Barton." Fury greeted us as soon as we walked through the doors. I noticed not for the first time Natasha stiffening at the mention of my name. Even Fury raised an eyebrow at her sudden stiffness. "I've called you here for something that's recently caught my attention. One of our ships was taken hostage just minutes ago." A file was pulled up as Fury stood in front of his desk.

All at once I was reminded of when Tron would explain what our latest missions were. Back when I was on the Grid with Beck, we were constantly putting our lives at risk. This was no different as I studied the images Fury was showing us.

"That ship has important files that we need." Well that would explain why the ship was being held hostage.

What bothered me more than anything was that it had been taken so easily. Who was behind this attack, and why were they so interested in these files?

"Do you know who's behind this attack?" Natasha must have read my mind.

"He goes by the codename of Backdrop the Leaper. He's a hired mercenary, so you'll need to keep an eye out for him," Fury explained.

Batroc the Leaper... somehow the name sounded familiar. I've read through the files of SHIELD's most wanted, but from what I gathered he was close to the bottom of the list. His main strategy was kickboxing. So he would fight with his legs.

"So I take it this guy wants to find these files SHIELD has," I muttered after observing the images for a few seconds.

"Something like that," Fury replied. He folded his arms and looked between me and Natasha. "I'm assigning you both to the Strike team. Captain Rogers will be joining you tonight."

It took a few seconds for this news to sink in. I stood there gaping at Fury while he discussed further plans with Natasha.

The Strike team was made up of some of SHIELD's best agents. They were fearless, and they had to be for the missions they were part of.

"We're headed out, better suit up." Nat's voice brought me back to reality.

I shook my head before following her out of the office. This was going to be interesting.

. . .

"_On your left."_

_"On your left."_

_"Uh-huh, on my left. Got it."_

_"Don't say it! Don't you say it!"_

_"On your left!"_

_"Come on!_"

. . .

"_Need a medic?"_

_"I need a new set of lungs. Dude, you just ran like thirteen miles in thirty minutes."_

_"I guess I got a late start."_

_"Oh, really? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap."_

_"Did you just take it? I assumed you just took it."_

_"What unit are you with?"_

_"Fifty-eighth, Para-rescue. But now I'm working down at the VA. Sam Wilson."_

_"It's your bed, right?"_

_"What's that?"_

_"Your bed, it's too soft. When I was over there I sleep on the ground and used rock for pillows, like a caveman. Now I'm home, lying in my bed, and It's like..."_

_"Lying on a marshmallow. I feel like I'm gonna sink right to the floor."_

_"How long?"_

_"Two tours. You must miss the good old days, huh?"_

_"Well, things aren't so bad. Food's a lot better, we used to boil everything. No polio is good. Internet, so helpful. I've been reading that a lot trying to catch up."_

_"Marvin Gaye, 1972, "Trouble Man" soundtrack. Everything you've missed jammed into one album."_

_"I'll put it on the list._"

* * *

**AN: I am very excited about this one :) This story will likely not end at the end of the Winter Soldier. I'm actually planning a few episodes of AOS to be included with it. That should certainly make things exciting! And the title is based off of a song by Imagine Dragons. It took me ages to find the right title... Anywho, please let me know what you thought of this :)**


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

'_Mission alert. Extraction imminent. Meet at the curb. :)_' I stared at the text message we just sent to Steve. After spending hours on end figuring out how to work a computer, I couldn't blame him for wanting to escape.

Natasha was driving what looked like a Roadster that came directly from the Grid. And as usual I was left sitting in the backseat, arms folded and trying my best not to glare.

Steve was already waiting for us at the curve with someone I didn't recognize. He was an African American man who looked like he'd just run a five hour marathon. Once the window opened he raised an eyebrow when he caught sight of Natasha.

"Hey, fellas. Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil." Okay, that made me giggle as Steve's cheeks turned a bright red.

"That's hilarious," Steve muttered as he walked over.

"How you doing?" The stranger peered behind Natasha and looked at me curiously, all the while I was avoiding his questioning look.

"Hey." Natasha just flashed a smile once Steve got in.

"You can't walk everywhere," Steve told the stranger.

"No you can't."

With that, Natasha drove off, leaving the stranger in the dust.

An awkward silence followed as we drove on towards the waiting helicopter that would take us to our destination. It was situations like these that made me wish someone would randomly say something. I hated silence. It reminded me too much of the times when I was trapped on the Grid, alone and vulnerable.

"So, who's your new friend?" Finally I couldn't stand it anymore and broke the silence.

Steve did a double take when he realized that I was sitting behind him.

Wow, and here I thought he would have noticed me sooner.

"Are you going with us?" I folded my arms and rolled my eyes once again.

"Fury's orders," Natasha explained before I could answer.

"His name is Sam Wilson," Steve said after considering Natasha's answer. I had a feeling that he would argue with Fury about this later. Steve had a tendency to act like Clint; he was more like an overprotective brother.

While I loved the guy as a brother there was no way in heck I'd let him control what I did. I've already been controlled too many times in my life.

"So does he have a family? Or did he work for the military?" Steve looked at me in confusion as I started bombing him with questions.

I couldn't resist. Besides, it kept away the awkwardness I felt being stuck with him and Natasha. It's not like I don't enjoy being alone with my birth mother... she and I just never really talked that much. And I wasn't going to blame her either for the silent treatment.

"I'm not sure, and he did," Steve replied. "What's with the forty questions?" He stopped me before I could ask anything else.

Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Natasha was watching us curiously while keeping an eye on the road. Steve just had that blank expression as he tried figuring out what was going on.

"Just curious," I replied with a shrug.

And the awkward silence quickly returned. This was going to be a long drive.

. . .

Thankfully the drive didn't take nearly as long as I was expecting. After breaking nearly every traffic law there was in the book (And believe me when I say that, I've been studying), we made it to the helicopter in record time. Steve had already grabbed his suit from the warehouse bunker while Natasha pulled out the files Fury had given us.

Steve had no idea what we were really after, and that was probably a good thing. The files that were on the ship would likely be heavily guarded. Director Fury had given Natasha a flash drive before we left the office to download the files onto.

"So what's the mission this time?" One of the members of Strike team was eying us both curiously. I stood firmly beside Natasha, though I avoided any eye contact when possible.

I've seen this brawny looking guy before a few times. It was never at the office, since he was constantly going in and out of missions. There was something about him like Pierce that I couldn't stand. Maybe it was that cocky attitude I hated so much. It reminded me too much of Clint.

"Extraction mission," Natasha replied. "It's currently on the Indian Ocean."

The helicopter was started as soon as Steve was suited up. I noticed for the first time how different it looked now compared to the ones I'd seen in pictures. The suit definitely looked newer and had less bullet holes.

I remembered hearing that Coulson had designed the suit a couple of years ago, back when the Avengers were first formed. Did he know that Steve was still wearing that same suit?

"I don't think we've ever had the pleasure of meeting each other," the Strike team leader introduced himself as we got on board the helicopter. "Names Brock, Brock Rumlow."

"Mira," I replied after struggling to squeeze in between Natasha and Steve. This Brock guy was staring me down like I was his prey.

"Oh I know very well who you are, agent Barton." I stiffened when he used my last name. The glare Natasha gave him made the other men cower near the back. But Brock just continued his staring before he finally looked away.

"Thanks," I muttered under my breath. Once again I was reminded of why I didn't like this guy. Like I said, he creeped me out. Just the way he stared at me sent shivers down my arms. It made me feel like I was his prey waiting to be caught.

"Men like him are all the same, you just have to know how to deal with them," she replied.

I grimaced at the thought, realizing that she was probably right. Even though it's only been a year since I've returned to this world, I still didn't know that many people. So trust was difficult for me to come by when I met someone.

Darcy and Jane had been an exception to that. I ran into Darcy a few months ago when she was visiting New York. At the time I had been living there. And during my time off we ran into each other. We found out that we had a lot in common. She liked music almost as much as I did, and technology.

"The target is a mobile satellite launch platform: The Lemurian Star. It was sending up their last payload when pirates took them, ninety-three minutes ago," Brock explained as someone asked what the mission was this time.

"Any demands?" Steve asked.

"A billion and a half," Brock replied.

"Why so steep?" I asked the question this time, raising an eyebrow as I wondered who in their right mind needed that much cash. There was easier ways to get cash like that anyhow.

"Because it's SHIELD's." Well that made sense. Not. Something didn't sound right to me.

Fury's words rang in my ears as I thought of what he had told us. This was more than just a random heist organized by pirates. They were after something bigger, something that SHIELD wanted to keep safe no matter what the consequences.

"So it's not off course, it's trespass," Steve muttered.

"I'm sure they have a good reason," Natasha pointed out.

"You know, I'm getting a little tired of being Fury's janitor." That made me look at Steve in surprise.

I knew that he was often away on missions; he never told me what they were. But I never assumed that they were cleanup missions.

"Relax, it's not that complicated," Natasha reassured him. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed she was glancing at me. I shot her an icy look in return, knowing full well I didn't want any part in this conversation.

"How many pirates?"

"Twenty-five, top mercs, led by this guy. Georges Batroc," I replied, showing him a photo of the file I'd grabbed. Steve narrowed his eyes when he looked at Batroc. This should be fun, watching them go toe-to-toe.

"Ex-TGSE, Action Division. He's at the top of Interpol's "red notice". Before the French demobilized him, he had thirty-six kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties," Brock continued for me. I rolled my eyes as he took the file from me.

"Any hostages?"

"Uh...mostly techs. One officer, Jasper Sitwell." I recognized that name. Somehow I remember seeing the name back when I was stuck with Coulson's team for a few days. "They're in the galley."

"What's Sitwell doing on a launch ship? Alright, I'm gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. Nat, you'll kill the engines and wait for instructions. Rumlow, you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to life pods. get 'em out. Let's go."

"STRIKE, you heard the Captain. Gear up!"

This was going to be fun. While they were suiting up I grabbed the suit Tony had designed for me. This thing really did come in handy during situations like these.

"Secure channel seven," Steve ordered.

"Seven secure," Natasha replied. She glanced over at me as I leaned against the railing. The hanger door was wide open, ready for anyone to make a leap of faith. Luckily I had the light jet baton Stark and Beck had designed. "You do anything fun Saturday night?" she asked Steve.

I raised an eyebrow, wondering where she was going with this. Usually we spent Saturday nights playing board games when I wasn't on the Grid. It was kind of fun now that I knew how to play them. Steve's favorite game was chess, and it didn't take me long to learn how to play.

"Well, all the guys from my barbershop quartet are dead, so... No, not really." Okay, that response made me laugh. Steve just grinned back as he grabbed his shield.

"Coming up by the drop zone, Cap," Brock announced as the jet flew towards our destination.

"You know, if you ask Kristen out, from Statistics, she'll probably say yes," I chimed in. I couldn't resist playing along, and Steve's look of annoyance was hilarious.

"That's why I don't ask." Natasha shot me a mischievous grin as she spoke next.

"Too shy or too scared?"

"Too busy!"

He jumped out after saying that. It took me a few seconds to realize he wasn't wearing a parachute. Somehow that crazy stunt reminded me all too well of my adventures with Beck back on the Grid. Tron had often scolded us for leaping before we look.

"Was he wearing a parachute?" one of the STRIKE agents asked.

"No, no he wasn't." Brock shook his head; either he was awestruck or annoyed with Steve's behavior.

"I'll meet you down there," I called as I rezzed the light jet baton.

Before any of them could stop me I was already out in the air. A few seconds passed before the light jet actually worked. I've already tested it a few times, and luckily each test went smoothly. But of course now of all times it would start to malfunction.

My moment of panic lasted for only a minute. I breathed in a sigh of relief as the baton rezzed into a light jet at the last second. It's a good thing Tron taught me how to fly these things. I'd be in bigger trouble if I crashed into the ship.

Steve was already on the ship when I landed beside him. I turned the light jet back into a baton and hid it in my boot, right beside the light sword Natasha had given me.

"That Stark's invention?" he asked as I hid it out of sight. I gave him a faint nod before aiming my disk at one of the pirates approaching us. "Thanks."

"Yeah well, you looked pretty helpless without me," I replied with a shrug.

It didn't take long for Natasha and the rest of the team to reach us. The glare she gave me was priceless. Of all the times not to have a camera, this probably had to be the worst. But now wasn't the time to focus on that. We had bigger things to worry about.

"What about the nurse that lives across the hall from you? She seems kind of nice." I looked at Natasha in disbelief. So much for staying on the mission. Somehow I had the feeling she was trying to distract him.

"Secure the engine room, then find me a date," he ordered.

"We're multitasking," I replied while following Natasha towards the engine room.

. . .

"_I said to Batroc, if we want SHIELD to pay, we have to start sending bodies now! I have a bullet for someone. You want a bullet in your head?! Move that leg. Want a bullet in your head?_

_"I do not like to wait. Call Durand. I want the ship ready to go as soon as the rescue arrives."_

_"Yes, Batroc."_

_"Durand. Start the engine._"

. . .

"Hey sailor." The guy in charge of operations suddenly whirled around, realizing that he wasn't alone. He wasn't given a chance to react as Natasha knocked him out.

"So, how much do you think Steve's going to hate us for doing this?" I asked as I ran after her. It was easy to keep up, though watching all the pirates struggling to put up a fight was really kind of pathetic. What bothered me more than anything was how easy it was for her to kill them.

"That's not our mission," she replied in a rush of breath.

"Status Natasha, Mira?" I'd almost forgotten about the earpiece I was wearing.

"Hang on!" One of the pirates was ready to lung forward when I knocked him out with my light sword. Natasha made quick work of the last pirate before heading for the room we were looking for.

"Engine room secure," she replied over the earpiece. Once we reached the monitors I wasted no time in downloading the files on the flash drive Natasha had handed me. "So, you and Beck doing anything tomorrow night?"

I couldn't resist rolling my eyes at the remark. She knew full well that Beck and I were dating. It was a bit more difficult for Clint to accept that, with him being an overprotective father. But for some reason the thought had never bothered Natasha. Maybe because she understood what it was like, or what Beck and I had gone through together.

"What's with the sudden interest in dating?" I asked once the file was almost downloaded.

Steve's voice sounded through the earpiece, but neither of us made a move to assist him or the STRIKE team. Natasha pursed her lips before facing me, arms folded like Clint normally did when he was annoyed.

She was about to speak when someone came crashing in through the window. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was Batroc.

"Well this is awkward," Natasha muttered.

"What are you doing?" Steve demanded.

"Backing up the hard drive. It's a good habit to get into," she explained before I could speak for myself.

"Rumlow needed your help. What the hell are you doing here? And why were you dragged into this?" I shrugged when he pointed a finger accusingly at me. He quickly made his way over to where we were standing, eyes narrowing when he caught sight of what we were up to. "You're saving SHIELD Intel," he stated.

"Whatever we can get our hands on," I told him with another shrug.

"Our mission is to rescue hostages," he pointed out.

"No. That's your mission," Natasha corrected him. She pulled out the flash drive when it was finished downloading. "And you've done it beautifully."

Steve grabbed her by the arm before she could leave. "You just jeopardized this whole operation." I raised an eyebrow and leaned against the wall as they began arguing.

By now I've gotten used to this. Whether it was Tony and Pepper arguing or someone else, I've gotten used to it.

"I think that's overstating things." As she said that Batroc began to stir.

Wow, way to use their arguing as a distraction. But that wasn't what caught my attention, it was the grenades he threw towards us. I didn't have a chance to react as Steve grabbed both me and Natasha. Glass shattered around us, but he used his shield to keep us protected while he broke through the window. I couldn't help but flinch when we landed on the lower deck.

"Okay, that one's on me," Natasha groaned once Steve let us both up.

"You're damn right," Steve muttered crossly.

Okay, that could've gone better. Steve was pissed off with us, and rightfully so. I had a feeling that this wouldn't go well. And of course my hunches were right.

"Are you alright?" I was surprised when Natashas asked that.

"Never better," I replied.

Things were going to get even more awkward on the way back home. I really hoped that this would be a quick flight, otherwise I'd never hear the end of it from Steve. This was one mission that had failed miserably.

* * *

**AN: So apologies for the delayed update. Updates might go slowly like this. Oh, and a happy Fourth of July to everyone! God Bless the USA :D We're so lucky to have the freedom we have compared to other countries. And thank you 2theSky, Panda Bear Lover 317, Tregun and QuilSniv for reviewing! You guys are amazing :D**


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

"_You just can't stop yourself from lying, can you?"_

_"I didn't lie. Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton had a different mission than yours."_

_"Which you didn't feel obliged to share."_

_"I'm not obliged to do anything."_

_"Those hostages could've died, Nick."_

_"I sent the greatest soldier in history to make sure that didn't happen."_

_"Soldiers trust each other, that's what makes it an army. Not a bunch of guys running around and shooting guns."_

_"The last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye. Look, I didn't want you doing anything you weren't comfortable with. Agent Romanoff and her daughter are comfortable with everything."_

_"I can't lead a mission when the people I'm leading have missions of their owns."_

_"It's called compartmentalization. Nobody spills the secrets because nobody knows them all."_

_"Except you."_

_"You're wrong about me. I do share. I'm nice like that._"

. . .

Questions were buzzing around in my mind as I got back to my apartment. Rinzler had already made a mess of his new bed, courtesy of Pepper. She thought he'd sleep better at night if he had a soft bed to sleep on. And apparently he wasn't too fond of it, much to my dismay.

"What am I going to do with you?" I asked to no one in particular. Now he was fast asleep, curled up on the sofa. It figured that he would choose the sofa over a soft bed. "You know there was a time when someone would knock before entering a room," I added when I heard the door creak open.

"There's also a time when you should have the door locked." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes when Natasha said that.

"Thought you were supposed to meet with the boss," I muttered as I picked up the mess Rinzler had left.

Truthfully I was still trying to figure out what Batroc was really after, especially when Natasha had downloaded those files. And considering Batroc was the guy that had been sent to kill me all those months ago, I had a right to know.

Working that night with someone I'm supposed to call my mom was... different.

It was still difficult adjusting to the fact that she was my mother. Even now since I've gotten used to living in this world again we kept our distance. Until now. Fury was keeping us close, and I wanted to know why. Obviously he was afraid something would happen, but he would never explain the truth.

"He's busy right now." That only made me more suspicious. By now Rinzler had woken up, alarmed by the fact that he was no longer alone.

With one stretch of his back he looked over at Natasha before rubbing against me for the next few seconds.

"Look, I'd love to sit and chat but... I've got somewhere I need to be," I admitted, rubbing my arms up and down in embarrassment.

It was mostly true. Ever since Dyson was taken down the Grid had been at peace, which meant I could stop by and visit as often as I wanted. And now more than ever I missed the Grid, especially after I had used the light jet the other night.

"The Grid?" I nodded when she said that, looking towards the Digitizer.

Now it was much easier to go back and forth between worlds. Tony had even thought that there was some way of connecting the Digitizer with Asgardian technology. So far Sam had made no move towards the suggestion, but I knew Tony was pushing for an upgrade. It would come in handy if the Avengers ever needed to make a quick visit.

"You're welcome to come along," I replied with a wave of my hand. Rinzler was quick to jump off the sofa and bound after me as I started up the Digitizer.

Natasha looked at me in surprise, as if she wasn't expecting me to invite her to follow. Truthfully I wasn't even sure why I had said that. It's not like we were close. True she did care, even if she didn't show it, but that didn't mean we kept our distance for a reason.

Eventually she just shrugged and followed me, much to my own surprise. Well, this was about to get interesting.

. . .

"_Insight bay."_

_"Captain Rogers does not have clearance for Project Insight."_

_"Director override, Fury, Nicholas J."_

_"Confirmed."_

_"You know, they used to play music."_

_"Yeah. My grandfather operated one of these things for forty years. My granddad worked in a nice building, he got good tips. He'd walk home every night, roll of ones stuffed in his lunch bag. He'd say "hi", people would say hi back. Time went on, neighborhood got rougher. He'd say "Hi", they'd say, "Keep on steppin'." Granddad got to grippin' that lunch bag a little tighter."_

_"Did he ever get mugged?"_

_"Every week some punk would say, "What's in the bag?""_

_"Well, what did he do?"_

_"He'd show 'em. A bunch of crumpled ones and loaded 0.22 Magnum. Granddad loved people. But he didn't trust them very much. Yeah, I know. They're a little bit bigger than a 0.22. This is Project Insight. Three next generation Hellicarriers synced to a network of targeting satellites."_

_"Launched from the Lemurian Star."_

_"Once we get them in the air they never need to come down. Continuous suborbital flight courtesy of our new repulser engines."_

_"Stark?"_

_"Well, he had a few suggestions once he got an up close look at our old turbines. These new long range precision guns can eliminate a thousand hostiles a minute. The satellites can read a terrorist's DNA before he steps outside his spider hole. We gonna neutralize a lot of threats before they even happen."_

_"I thought the punishment usually came after the crime."_

_"We can't afford to wait that long."_

_"Who's 'we'?"_

_"After New York, I convinced the World Security Council we needed a quantum surgeon threat analysis. For once we're way ahead of the curve."_

_"By holding a gun at everyone on Earth and calling it protection."_

_"You know, I read those SSR files. Greatest generation? You guys did some nasty stuff."_

_"Yeah, we compromised. Sometimes in ways that made us not sleep so well. But we did it so the people could be free. This isn't freedom, this is fear."_

_"SHIELD takes the world as it is, not as we'd like it to be. It's getting damn near past time for you to get with that program, Cap."_

_"Don't hold your breath._"

. . .

"It's good to see you again!" I was surprised to receive a hug from Mara of all programs upon our arrival. And I was even more surprised to see Sam and Quorra standing inside the garage talking to Able and a group of mechanics. Zed stood next to Mara and was staring at her like a lovesick puppy... wait, that wasn't very surprising. "With..." Mara finally noticed Natasha standing behind me, her hands on her hips as she observed what was going on.

"We never had the chance to properly meet," Natasha explained before I could speak up. "Natasha Romanoff."

"Oh right, you were with that other User." Zed only ruffled the back of his hair when Mara caught the look he was giving Natasha.

"So what's going on?" I asked as we followed them to the garage. Rinzler was perched on my shoulder, keeping an eye out for anyone he could tackle.

It seemed that tackling strangers was one of Rinzler's favorite pass times. I needed to make a mental note to warn people walking into my apartment for the first time.

"Not much, things have been pretty peaceful here since..." Mara stopped herself when she realized what she was about to say. I only looked down at the floor, remembering all too well what had happened just a few months ago. It didn't seem all that long ago now that I thought about it. Let's just say that it was something I'd rather not talk about.

"Hi Mira, it's been a while," Quorra greeted us with a warm smile. I couldn't help but grin back.

"Anything happen while I was gone?" I asked as Able looked at me in surprise.

"Nothing much, just the usual threat of Grid bugs and occasional viruses popping up," Quorra replied. "Sam's been working on a program that can clean out a virus in seconds. And as usual Tron's overworking himself again." She added the last part with a roll of her eyes.

Well, that was no surprise. It seemed Tron never gave himself a break, even when there were no threats. I often wondered what he would be like if he actually did get some rest. Able often said that Tron was only like this because of what Clu had done to him. And I was beginning to wonder if what Able said was true.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," I reassured her. "Believe me, I've lived with the guy." Quorra only smirked before glancing over at Sam.

"Speaking of living, Sam and I have some pretty big news," she put in. I noticed for the first time that Sam's cheeks were a bright red, similar to Steve's anytime someone mentioned him having a girlfriend.

"Go ahead and tell them," she added with a nudge to his shoulder.

"Last night I kind of... proposed to Quorra," he explained sheepishly. "Alan and Laura were there with us."

For a moment I wasn't sure what to say. Marriage was something I've never faced or witnessed, because so much of my life was spent on the Grid. I doubted Clint or Natasha would ever get married anytime soon. But this was... probably some of the best news I've heard yet, especially for Quorra. She deserved to live a happy life, especially if it was someone like Sam.

"Congratulations you two!" I blushed a little when my voice came out as a squeak, causing Quorra to laugh and Sam to run a finger through his hair.

"We don't have an exact date set, but it won't be any time soon," Sam added. "Plus we need to give the company a little warning ahead of time. The media's gonna eat this story up."

Oh I can only imagine what their reaction would be like. But at least it gave the time to settle down and think of what they wanted for their wedding. Hopefully I would get the chance to see them before that time arrived.

"Thank you for letting me know, I'll be sure to tell Beck when I get back," I reassured them. Since he was working alongside Tony he's been busier than ever. He didn't really have a chance to visit the Grid, and I did feel guilty for that. "We should probably get going," I added, glancing over my shoulder.

Natasha looked bored out of her mind. This was probably one subject that had always bothered her, and understandably so. There was a reason she was called the Black Widow. Once I hugged Quorra goodbye and wished them luck, we both walked out of the garage.

I'm glad we did stop by before doing what I actually came here for. It was nice to see everyone again. To me it was a nice change in pace compared to my life as a SHIELD agent. This beat the User world any day, compared to the constant wars that were being fought or criminals out on the streets. The Grid would always feel more like home than the User world ever could.

"Where are you going?" Natasha asked as I headed for an abandoned warehouse. It was the same one I had showed to Beck all those cycles ago. I could still remember Beck's reaction when he saw the view it gave us once we reached the top.

"This is where I spent a lot of my time, when I was... you know," I replied with a shrug. Soon we were headed up a flight of stairs, until finally we reached the top. I could almost feel Natasha's gaze boring into me as I grabbed a seat for the both of us. Since it was night here on the Grid I could see all the beautiful lights gleaming in the distance. "This is where I went to think or to just escape from it all," I added when she sat down beside me.

"It is a beautiful view," she admitted after taking it all in. I could already feel myself relaxing as the tension from earlier washed away. "I can see why you love this place so much." I looked at her in disbelief when I saw the faintest of smiles playing across her face.

"It wasn't exactly the best place to grow up in," I reminded her, thinking of my time here when I was younger.

I couldn't help but think back to when Rinzler held me captive for all those cycles. Or back to the time when Quorra had rescued me from the games. There were so many changes in my life that I went through. Living on the Grid had made me stronger, and I wouldn't ask my life to be any different.

"I always wonder what my life would be like had I not gotten stuck here," I admitted guiltily. "Whether or not I would still be with my adopted family, or somewhere different."

"Fate often happens for a reason," she replied while looking back out at the city lights. "Even I wonder what would have happened had I kept you." That was enough to make me look at her in disbelief. "I gave you up to give you a chance for a normal life, and look where you are now." She added the last part with a shrug, keeping on a poker face.

I understood what she meant by that. Knowing that I was happy with a normal family and life, she must not have ever suspected that this would happen. I did wonder where I would be now. Maybe I would have a normal job and go through high school. At this point in life I might not have ever met anyone like Beck.

We sat there in silence for the next few nanocycles, thinking of various events that happened in our lives. The more I thought about the more I realized how much I had missed growing up. Clint was an overprotective father, that was no surprise. But Natasha was so different compared to him. It was almost like she had no idea how to act around those younger than her, and maybe that was the case. Maybe it was time we gave each other a chance.

"You know when I was back in Asgard I learned a lot thanks to Heimdall," I suddenly spoke up once more. I noticed Natasha's eyes flashed with wariness at the mention of Asgard. I'm sure Clint has already told her about that disaster of a vacation. "He said that both you and Clint have dark pasts, but you grew from them."

There really were so many questions I had, such as why she was called the Black Widow and why she acted so coldly towards people. True I acted the same way until I got to know someone, but still... I couldn't help feeling so curious.

"I think that's enough questions for one day," she said quietly.

I decided to leave it at that, realizing that I was probably pushing too far. Heimdall told me that I would learn in time. I had to believe that he was right. For now I was just thankful that we weren't at each other's throats, or ignoring one another like usual. This was satisfying enough.

* * *

**AN: So here's chapter two. Sorry for the long delay, I've been busy trying to figure out how to work out the plot ^^" Anyways, I found a song that seems very fitting for Natasha, considering all she's gone through. Gonna post the lyrics down below. Thanks 2theSky and Panda Bear Lover 317 for reviewing! You guys are awesome!**

**"An ache So deep That I, Can hardly breathe This pain, Can't be imagined Will it ever heal? Ooh... ooh... Your hand, So small Held a strand of my hair So strong, All I could do Was keep believing Was that enough? Is anyone there? I wanna scream Is this a dream? How could this happen, Happen to me? This isn't fair This nightmare This kind of torture I just can't bear I want you here..." I Want You Here, Plumb**


End file.
